Magic in the Outfield


Book Description

Griffith, Graham, and Ruby's father passed away in the war. And now they must join their mother and their father's wartime traveling baseball team, The Travelin' Nine, on a tour of America to raise money. No one will tell the kids why the team needs money so badly. Their only clue is a baseball with a hole the size of an acorn in it that their Uncle Owen gave to them the night of their father's funeral. They know very little about its significance except that their father made it with his own two hands and carried it with him throughout the war. And when all three kids hold the ball, strange things begin to happen...




Magic in the Outfield


Book Description

For use in schools and libraries only. More than a series about baseball, Sluggers: Tales of the Travelin' Nine is about the magic of familial love and how that magic can beat any sporting odds.




Chapter Two


Book Description

Being ten years old and trying out for the Great Kills Little League proves to be a nightmare for Jake. He is faced with the antagonists Josh and Alex and a living room wall, where his dad's baseball trophies are proudly displayed. Back at home, in the secure environment of his apartment building, lives an elderly magician friend. When Mr. Flynn and Jake embark on a journey of kindred spirits, a chain of events takes place that not only bond the two forever, but also changes everything for Jake. Was the book that Mr. Flynn gave to Jake really about magic, or was it magic and more? Chapter Two: The Magic in Baseball brings generations together through mutual respect and trust. The reader will connect with Jake and feel his sense of pride at accomplishing his goals by means of hard work and determination. Readers will discover that life, like magic, takes surprising turns. Chapter Two demonstrates how a positive attitude and sense of humor can prepare a person for the unexpected.




Angels in the Outfield


Book Description

Roger Bowman is a ten-year old foster child with big dreams. His biggest dream is to be part of a family, and he believes his wish will come true when his favorite team, the California Angels, clinches the pennant.




The Field Beyond the Outfield


Book Description

When Ludlow begins to play baseball to help combat his fears, he is placed so far out in the outfield that he becomes involved with an adjacent game in which a most astonishing thing happens.




The Magic Bat


Book Description

Geoff is a good baseball player, except that he always strikes out--until he gets a new magic bat.




The Magic Ball


Book Description

While searching in the weeds for the first ball he ever hit for a home run, ten-year old Billy Lawson finds instead a battered old baseball half-buried in the mud far beyond the outfield fence. Soon Billy realizes the ball is magic, that it talks out loud and can help him become a better player and person. With a mysterious connection to one of the most historic Major League players ever, the ball--which Billy has named "Buddy''-- also gives guidance to a pair of Billy's troubled teammates in separate stories. Only at the end is it revealed where the Magic Ball came from and why the fun and adventure is just beginning. Written by former star Major League pitcher Steve Trout and Chicago Sun-Times sports columnist Rick Telander, this easy-to-read book is for all kids who play sports and enjoy fun reading.




Home of the Brave


Book Description

The Paynes are down at the bottom of their last inning, but are they out? The final book in Loren Long and Phil Bildner's Sluggers!




Get Those Guys Reading!


Book Description

Want to identify fiction books that boys in grades three through nine will find irresistible? This guide reveals dozens of worthwhile recommendations in categories ranging from adventure stories and sports novels to horror, humorous, and science fiction books. In Get Those Guys Reading!: Fiction and Series Books that Boys Will Love, authors Kathleen A. Baxter and Marcia A. Kochel provide compelling and current reading suggestions for younger boys—information that educators, librarians, and parents alike are desperate for. Comprising titles that are almost all well-reviewed in at least one major professional journal, or that are such big hits with kids that they've received the "stamp of approval" from the most important reviewers, this book will be invaluable to anyone whose goal is to help boys develop a healthy enthusiasm for reading. It includes chapters on adventure books; animal stories; graphic novels; historical fiction; humorous books; mystery, horror, and suspense titles; science fiction and fantasy; and sports novels. Within each chapter, the selections are further divided into books for younger readers (grades 3–6) and titles for older boys in grades 5–8. Elementary and middle school librarians and teachers, public librarians, Title One teachers, and parents of boys in grades 3–9 will all benefit greatly from having this book at hand.




Field of Magic


Book Description

Superstition has been a part of baseball from the beginning. From good luck charms to human mascots to ritual statues of Babe Ruth to the curse of Colonel Sanders, there may be almost as many superstitions as players (or fans). Drawing on social science, religious studies and SABRmetrics, this book explores the rich history of supernatural belief in the game and documents a wide variety of rituals, fetishes, taboos and jinxes. Some of these have changed over time but coping with uncertainty on the field through magical thinking remains a constant.